Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)

Found from Colorado and California north to Alaska and widespread in Canada from coast to coast. Often difficult to impossible to distinguish in the field from Anna's Blue and Melissa Blue. Several described subspecies occur.
'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011

This very bright and colorful subspecies of Northern Blue feeds on Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and is found in bogs and heaths in Maine & nearby Canadian provinces.


'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011
'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011

'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011
'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011

'Crowberry' Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011
Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), caterpillar foodplant
Washington Co., ME
5 July 2011


Below are Northern Blues from Utah
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Big Springs Hollow, Utah Co., UT 18
June 2005
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Big Springs Hollow, Utah Co., UT 18
June 2005

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Big Springs Hollow, Utah Co., UT 18
June 2005
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Big Springs Hollow, Utah Co., UT 18
June 2005

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Big Springs Hollow, Utah Co., UT 18
June 2005

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Lambs Canyon, Salt Lake Co., UT
17 July 2014
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Wasatch State Park, Wasatch Co., UT
14 July 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Wasatch State Park, Wasatch Co., UT
14 July 2014

From left to right:
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla), Lupine Blue (Plebejus lupini), Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetextus)
Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT
14 July 2014


Below are Northern Blues from Montana/Wyoming
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Rock Creek, Park CO., WY / Carbon Co., MT border
23 July 2023

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Beartooth Hwy, Park Co., WY near MT border
22 July 2023

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
20 July 2013
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Park Co., WY near MT border
23 July 2023

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) #2934
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
17 July 2013
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
17 July 2013

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
17 July 2013

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013

#3442
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 Aug 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) #3545
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 Aug 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Morrell Lookout, Powell Co., MT
14 July 2015
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Morrell Lookout, Powell Co., MT
14 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Red Mountain, Lewis & Clark Co., MT
15 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Red Mountain, Lewis & Clark Co., MT
15 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
#0274
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Red Mountain, Lewis & Clark Co., MT
15 July 2015
#0529
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Red Mountain, Lewis & Clark Co., MT
15 July 2015

#0608
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Storm Lake, Deer Lodge Co., MT
16 July 2015
#0613
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Storm Lake, Deer Lodge Co., MT
16 July 2015

#9582
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #6955
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
11 June 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #7723
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
18 June 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #7839
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
26 June 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #8024
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
27 June 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #8132
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
#8150
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2015
#8354
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2015

#8400
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#8415
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#8428
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#9485
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014

#9007
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2015

#9562
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015
#9012
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2015

#9161
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
4 July 2015

#9206
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
4 July 2015

#0842
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

Same individual. Note how a slight change in angle significantly alters the appearance of color.


#9206
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
10 July 2014

#9557
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

#9571
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

#1071
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
11 July 2014

#9544
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015
#9545
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
#9480
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
MPG Ranch, Missoula Co., MT
8 July 2015
#9485
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
MPG Ranch, Missoula Co., MT
8 July 2015

#0580
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
5 July 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #9529
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #9591
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #9770
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
12 July 2015

#3201
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
27 July 2014

#3195
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
27 July 2014

#2913
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014

Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) #3467
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 Aug 2014

Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) #3557
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 Aug 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #3870
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Very worn female
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
7 Aug 2014

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus) Northern Blue (Plebejus idas atrapraetuxtus)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #9547
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) #9550
Northern Blue (Plebejus idas)
Rattlesnake Rec Area, Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2015


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Created on ... May 5, 2007 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com